franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

7.3.2 RCS thruster quad assemblyUpper vectored thrust nozzleDeuterium supply tank (1 of 6)Fuel distribution nodePressure regulator •Mooring beam tractor emitters >MHD field trapLower vectored thrust nozzleate-use supply tanks and tied to replenish lines from the maindeuterium tank group in the Battle Section. Fuel transfer ismanaged by three redundant sets of magnetic-peristalticpumps, pressure regulators, and distribution nodes. Ignitionenergy for the reaction chamber is provided by a step-upplasma compression generator, and supplied through a standardcapacitance tap by the ship's power distribution net.The reaction chamber measures 3.1 meters in diameter andis constructed of hafnium carbide 0.2 meters thick, with a0.21 cm replaceable inner wall of duranium tritanide. It canwithstand a total of 400,000 firings and 5,500 hours' operatingtime before requiring inner wall servicing.A two-stage MHD field trap lies downstream from thefusion chamber. The first stage acts as an energy recoverydevice and returns some of the undifferentiated plasma to thepower net. The second stage performs partial throttle operations,in concert with fuel flow regulators, to control theexhaust products as they enter the thrust nozzle. Bothstages are manufactured as a single unit 4x2x2 meters andare constructed of tungsten bormanite. The plasma returnchannels are rated at 6,750 hours before the inlets must bereplaced.The vectored nozzles direct the exhaust products at theproper angle for the desired force on the ship's spaceframe.Each nozzle assembly produces a maximum of 3 millionNewtons thrust with one nozzle active, and 5.5 million Newtonswith both nozzles active. Kreigerium plate valves regulatethe relative proportions of exhaust products flowingthrough the upper and lower nozzle components.Each auxiliary engine consists of a microfusion chamberand vectored-thrust nozzle, but without the MHD trap. Themicrofusion chamber measures 1.5 meters in diameter andis constructed of hafnium duranide 8.5 cm thick. Eachauxiliary engine channels its exhaust products through themain RCS nozzle and can generate a total thrust of 450,000Newtons. The auxiliary engines are rated for 4,500 hours'cumulative firing time before servicing.Also incorporated into the RCS quads are precisionmooring beam tractor emitters used for close-quarters anddocking maneuvers when starbase-equivalent mooringbeams are not available.